Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/364

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REAR-ADMIRALS OF THE BLUE.
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the Count d’Estaing, July 6, 1779; and in Rodney’s battles with de Guiehen, off Martinique, on the 17th April, and 15th and 19th May, 1780[1]. The Albion’s loss in those several engagements, amounted to 27 men killed and 128 wounded; among the latter of whom was Mr. Prowse, who received a large splinter in the head. He served in that ship during a period of six years, and behaved so well on all occasions, as to draw from his commander the warmest commendations. In 1782, Rear-Admiral Digby appointed him to act as a Lieutenant in the Cyclops, a small frigate, on the North-American station; from which period we lose sight of him till the early part of the French revolutionary war, when he received an appointment to the Barfleur, of 98 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Bowyer, in the Channel fleet.

During the memorable action of June 1, 1794, in which his patron had the misfortune to lose a leg[2], Mr. Prowse was very severely wounded by a large shot, which, after disabling the gun he was then in the act of pointing, struck him on the thigh, and tore away a great portion of the flesh. Indeed, the injury he received was so great as to render it necessary for him to be sent on shore to an hospital; from whence, on his recovery, he joined the Theseus, of 74 guns, as first Lieutenant, and in that ship again visited the West Indies.

We next find our officer proceeding with Sir John Jervis, in the Lively frigate, to the Mediterranean station, where he obtained the rank of Commander in the Raven sloop of war, which vessel was one of the repeaters to the British fleet in the battle off Cape St. Vincent, Feb. 14, 1797. From her he was removed by Sir John into the Salvador del Mundo, a Spanish 3-decker taken on that occasion; an appointment that appears to have met with the approbation of the Admiralty, his post commission being confirmed by the Board on the 6th of the following month.

In 1800, Captain Prowse was selected by Sir Robert Calder, with whom he had before served in the Theseus, to command his flag-ship, the Prince of Wales, a second-rate, and he accordingly accompanied that officer to the West Indies in quest of a French squadron, supposed to have gone thither